Bama Belle lists after receding river leaves boat on dock pilings

Saturday

Jan 19, 2013 at 12:01 AM

TUSCALOOSA | The staff of the Bama Belle riverboat has always been able to move to higher ground when the Black Warrior River floods.

By Stephanie TaylorStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | The staff of the Bama Belle riverboat has always been able to move to higher ground when the Black Warrior River floods. But the boat has been out of commission since June. “The engine isn’t running,” said former manager Sandi Wyatt. “We normally move it to the slough, but we had to leave it.”The 90-foot, 54-ton paddle-wheel riverboat drifted on top of dock pilings that were submerged after days of rainfall earlier this week. As the water receded, the boat became lodged on the pilings and has begun to tip over. The boat, which offers river cruises, has been out of commission for about seven months because of holes in the chill coolers. Chill coolers are like radiators, but are on the bottom of the boat and remain underwater. The boat would need to be towed to Mobile for repairs. Wyatt’s husband, Heath, said in October that the boat’s owners were looking for a company that would tow the boat.